my parents wont pay a cent for my wedding

Oh, sorry i forgot to share this with you. My brother & his wife got married for about $200. She bought her dress from a smalltown bridal shop...great sale ($99). My brother wore his black church suit but bought blue shirt from TJ Maxx that matched the color ($16). They got married outdoors at her grandmother's house in front of the walkway arch covered in sunflowers. Their preacher married them for free. She BORROWED clear shoes from a friend, BLUE garter from ebay ($4), wore her grandmothers OLD wedding necklace. My cousin made the wedding cake all we had to do was buy batter/icing ($20) We made finger foods the finger foods for like (60). We had heart shaped cookie cutters we used to cut sandwiches, my aunt makes pickles, another made mints. My mom made cheeseballs, I made pickle/ham/cheese rolls. It worked out great cause they only had 25 ppl invited.. So keep it small tokeep the price down. email me if for more ideas! **********@*******.*** Good Luck!

Wow that is a tough one but don't get discouraged.

My FH and I have been engaged for 3 years now. We both work full time and go to school full time (which we also have to pay for ourselves) We have no help from out parents at all, which at first i have to admit i was kind of pissed. (But now that we have done so much planning and buying certain things, i kinda feel more accomplished doing it myself.. IDK maybe I'm nuts)

anyways... we had to save for 2 and a half years to have the wedding that we wanted and even now its still on a small budget, we are doing the entire thing under 4k and it is a stunning wedding and reception, if i may say so myself. we just asked for discounts and did tons of research to get cheap rates. our reception is in a 5 star restaurant and is only costing us 1800 with a guest count of 70, for EVERYTHING except for clothing, favors, an invitations. It can be done! In my opinion if you just do it to do it you may regret it. Its worth saving up for!!!!

Good Lcuk

Hi Briana,

I don't mean to come off rude here, but a bunch of us have given you some great advice to your post on how you can throw together a wedding and it fit your budget. It is unfair your parent's won't help you out, but really a lot of brides are paying for their own weddings and not having help from their parents. I know you might read all the advice we've posted for you, but it would be nice to acknowledge the help we're trying to give you. I'm sorry to disagree with your comment above saying "we absolutely cannot afford a wedding but I also don't like just being engaged." All Brides want their dream wedding to be perfect and extravigant and it is true as they say good things come to those who wait.

I completely disagree with one of the earlier posters. Having two children does not mean you don't deserve help having a beautiful wedding, and I would be upset too if I were in your shoes. I also don't think your expectation of them contributing to your wedding is anymore unreasonable than their expectation of walking you down the aisle or being part of a unity candle ceremony. However, you can't force them to help you. Take the advice that's been given to you and figure out a way to make your own wedding day dreams come true. But, do yourself a favor, if you don't feel that you can get over their decision not to help you financially, talk to them about it. They are entitled to spend their money however they choose and, therfore, don't owe you an explanation, but there may be a reason behind it that you aren't aware of. These are the kinds of things that can cause a HUGE rift in a relationship. You don't want to risk a family feud over something that should be a joyous time for all.

Weddings don't have to be over the top- they should simply be a testament to the couple getting married. My guess is that if you don't feel like you can afford a wedding you probably aren't living an overly luxurious lifestyle anyway. Keep it simple and keep it real. Focus on the things that make you and your fiance who you are, and everything will come into place. As long as you don't let yourself get lost in all of the crazy suggestions or trends you hear about you'll be able to do something that will not only be within your means but something that you will remember forever.

You can always cut rental costs by using someone's backyard, you can cut alcohol costs by doing a morning wedding, and you can go environmentally friendly by sending e-vites (and saving on printing and postage). There's a lot tot work around without sacrificing what's REALLY important to you. My fiance and I are paying for our day too, so I'm getting the hang of getting creative myself! Good luck!

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! It sounds like you are on a limited budget though. I'd like to let you know about an on-line cash gift wedding registry called AGreatAffair.com. This registry is used by couples who are having trouble affording the wedding of their dreams. AGreatAffair.com can help you afford the wedding you want, and receive the gifts you would really like without being constrained by what a particular store stocks. AGreatAffair.com allows couples like you to register for anything, including a honeymoon. You can even register for your wedding expenses! I recommend you visit the website, AGreatAffair.com and create a registry. If created, you can invite your friends and family to gift cash to you and your fiance. You will ultimately get cash from your friends and family through this registry. I just got married myself and created my own wedding registry on AGreatAffair.com - its done wonders to make my own wedding much more affordable. Best Regards!

Try to consider a beach wedding in Hawaii. Here's a site which I think is helpful in planning your beach wedding. http://beachweddinghawaii.blogspot.com/

You do not need a wedding ring. Is it really necessary? If you don't have the money don't buy it.